Adjustable cultivating and furrowing shoe



Aug. 13, 1935. J. J. cRAwFoR ADJUSTABLE CULTIVATING AND FURROWING SHOE Filed May 9, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jaim/J 'iwufolfd I Aug. .13, 1935. 1 1 CRAWFORD 2,010,979

v ADJUSTABLE CULTIVATING AND FURROWING SHOE Filed May 9, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y mW/afm Patented Aug. 13, 1935 f routine,

PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE CULTIVATAING AND FURROWING SHOE John Crawford, Pueblo, Colo.

Application May 9, 1934, Serial No. 724,778

7 Claims.` (Cl. 977-225) My invention relates to improvements in adjustable cultivating and furrowing shoes,and par- `ticularly to a device of this character intended and adapted to be attached to a beet, bean, or

f other .crop cultivator, which tool or shoe will perform the double operation of cultivating or working Vthe ground and of furrowing to form an irrigation ditch. f

An object of this invention is to provide a tool 1 of ,this character which isreadily 'and fully adjustable to be set to'cultivate and furrow to any depth desired, and which adjustment can be made readily while inthe eld to adapt the device for the particular conditions of use, and 1'5" for the particular soil being worked.

Yet another .object is to soconstruct the shoe that the earth is pressed .outwardly and packed downto form the. irrigation ditch, portions of `the shoeserving to press'down and packorftrowel the ditch with more or .less pressure and to prevent the formation andleaving of .loose earth along the sides ofthe irrigation ditch;

f Still another Objectis to provide a device of this character that is simple and inexpensive in construction and manufacture, andv which can be used with substantially all types andimakes of cultivators and the like.

` With the above and other objects in view, which will loe` apparent to those Vskilled in the art, my invention includes certainnovel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the drawings and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a' view-in perspective showing a cultivating and furrowing tool constructed in accordance with my invention.

i Fig2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View through the parts as illustrated in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view to better show the Figs?? isa view similar to Figure l'showing a g `modified construction.

Fig. 8fis a view in perspective showing awearing shoef that may be used.

f My present tool is intended andr adapted to be used in connection with a beet, bean orother crop cultivator, or similar agrictultural implement, and is to begattached in `placeof and in substitution for` oneor moreof the usual-cultivatwhich ditch is generally indicated at 2 in Fig. .6,

'of the furrow forming the'ditchwill be spread ing shoes or other earth working tools, and asthe Vmanner of attaching earth working `tools tov agricultural implements is old and well known in the art, no attempt is here made to show any of the multitudinous forms of cultivators, agri. 5 cultural implements or other machines to which the present invention might be applied for use. The shoe, generally indicated at l, is made up of sheet metal or any other material and is` constructed to. be substantially AV-shaped in cross section, as perhaps best shownin Figs. 4 and 5, and this V-shaped body portion is made to be or" considerable `length and has the side walls thereof so inclined that a ditch formed thereby,

will have its sides inclined to be self-supporting and to prevent caving in or ready washing out of the side portions.

' At its forwardend the body l is closed, as at 3, and this closed end is made somewhat blunt or rounded and slightly sloping so that as the tool is passedthrough the ground the soil will be pressed outwardly, rather than rolled up or thrown out in ridges at each side of the furrow or ditch as formed by the forward travel of the; shoe.- This forward end 3 isA made relatively higher than the desired depth of the ditch, and smoothing fins 4 and 5 `are provided laterally toward lthe forward end? of the shoe. These smoothing n's are inclined downwardly rearwardly, and are somewhatf1ared from the body ofthe shoe toward their straight :trailing edges 6. With this formation, any dirt that may be raised or thrownor pushed out along the'gsides and smoothed. Toward the rearI end of the shoe` l packing iinsnl and 8 are provided, these'Y fins Vbeing preierablymade wide at `their trailing ends and sloped or 'inclined gradually downwardly from the body `portion of the shoe I. 40

With the shoe constructed as set forth, the movement `of the implementforward through the soil will cause-the earth to be pressed outwardly by the advancing movement'of the forward endv 3, and any dirt accumulating or rolling upon either side of the shoe will be spread by the ns 4 and 5 Due to the fact that the forward end 'of the shoe pushes or forces the dirt back to each side, the inclined side walls of the furrow or ditch 2, as'shown in Fig. 6, will be packed, the greatest packing force being exerted possibly near the upper sides of the ditch. The iins 4 and 5 spread any loose dirt to be evenly distributed, and as the ns 1 and 8 move forward they will of pin or bolt il.

pack down the surface on each side, laterally of the ditch 2, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Toward the forward end of the shoe l, and near the bottom of the V-shaped form thereof, a bea-ring 9 is provided, and this bearing has a bifurcated bearing portion in which the lower `end of tool supporting post l] is mounted to be capable of limited swinging movement, by means A cross bar i2 is mounted between the sides of the V-shaped body of the shoe i' toward the rear end thereof, and the .side walls are thus reinforced and braced against being bent or displaced due to the force exerted in packing the e-arth. A brace link i3 is pivotally connected on the mounting post ill at one of its ends, by pin, rivet or bolt i4, and this brace link has an elongated slotted opening l5 in its free end. An adjusting clamp bolt l5 is tted through this slotted opening i5 and through an opening formed centrally in cross bar i2, and thus'the brace linkV i3 can be adjustably clamped in place to dispose the shoe I at different angles, with its lower edge inclined either upwardly or downwardly from a horizontal line as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. With some types and forms of cultivators or other implements, the tool mounting bar` may require disposition of the post lli to incline either forwardly or rearwardly, and this adjustment through bolt i@ will permit compensation for any inclination of the mounting post IU.

As set forth above, the furrow opening is formed into a ditch 2, of substantially the shape shown in Fig. 6, with the dirt in the side walls and at the adjacent edge of the ditch tightly packed to thus prevent caving or erosionA fromA ordinary use, and to leave the top edge substantially in a plane with the surface of the eld so that the water can properly ow.

With some types and constructions of cultivators or other implements, two mounting bars are provided for better attachment and securement of the shoes or tools, and in Fig. 7 I have shown an adaptation particularly suited for such mountings. The bar E3 has an elongated slot Vi formed in its middle portion and a second mounting post i8 is provided with elongated slot openings l@ adapted to register withtheopening l?, the two openings. having clamp bolt 2G passed therethrough; The second mounting post i3 is thus y securely attachedto the bar i3 adjacent to the mounting post It and is adjustable forwardly and rearwardly, vertically and angularly, to thus berdisposed 1 n any desired setting required by thel particular mounting or bar arrangement of.

the implement. g

l As illustrated in Fig. 8, aremovable and renewable wearing shoe 2l, can be provid-ed to fit over and be held upon the lower portion of the elongated body which issubjected to the greatest wear while the ditching shoe is in use. This wearing shoe is shaped at its forward end 22 to substantially t and hold upon the furrow opening forward end of the elongated body l, and bendable lugs 23 and 24 are provided at the rear end of the shoe 2i to be bent and clamped around the rear ends of the sides of shoe l, to thus secure the wearing shoe in place and against displacement.

The wearing shoe 2! may be made to be riveted, bolted, welded or otherwise secured upon the `shoe l, and is intended to be removed' and re- Y placed when worn, thus minimizing wear upon provided a device that will open up a ditch to be of the desired form and will, in passing, accomplish complete and thorough smoothing and troweling of the surface of the ditch to avoid dirt falling or caving back into the ditch. Further, the tool performs two operations in one so that it is not necessary for the farmer to cultivate iirst and then pass over the same ground with another tool to open and form the ditch, this tool cultivating and making the irrigation ditch at the same time and in a single passage over the field.

While I have herein shown and described only certain speciiic embodiments of my invention and have suggested only certain possible modifications, it will be appreciated that changes and variations can be made in the form, construction, arrangement, assembly and mounting of the parts, and in the manner of using the same, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. v

I claim:

l. A ditching shoe for use upon an agricultural implement comprising, an elongated body of substantially V-shaped form in cross section on its lower side and having a rounded blunt point at its forwardA end to press back the earth in opening a ditch so that the earth will be troweled and packed by passage of the sides of the shoe, and unitary means to smooth the upper side edges of the ditch thus formed.

2. A ditching shoe for use upon an agricultural implement comprising, an elongated body of substantially V-shaped form in cross section on its lower side and` having a rounded blunt point at its forward end, to press back the earth in opening. a ditch so that the earth will be troweled and packed by passage of the sides of the shoe, iins integral with the body portion to smooth the upper side edges and pack the earth on the surface at each side of the ditch thus formed and amounting post with which said shoe is adjustably associated so that the angle of disposition of the shoe can be varied.

3. A ditching shoe for use upon an agricultural implement comprising, an elongated body of substantially V-shaped form in cross section on its lower side and having a vrounded blunt point at its forward end to press back the earth in opening a ditch so that the earth will be troweled and packed by passage of the sides of the shoe, a mounting post with which said shoe is adjustably associated so that the'angleof disposition of the shoe can be varied, said mounting post being disposed adjacent to the forward end of the shoe, and a brace adjustably associated with the mounting post and the rear end of the shoe to hold the trailing end of said shoe in position to exert force to press down the earth on the surfaces of the ditch.

4. A cultivating and furrowing tool comprising, an elongated shoe made substantially V- shaped in cross section on its lower side and having its forward end closed as a blunt point to press back the earth in opening a ditch, iins inclined downwardly rearwardly and extending laterally adjacent the forward end of the shoe to smooth down any dirt that may roll up at the top side edges of the ditch, and downwardly inclined laterally extending ared ns Vat the upper rear edges of the shoe to press down and trowel the surface of the earth on each side of lthe ditch.V f V5. A cultivating and furrowing tool comprising, an elongated shoe made substantially V- shaped in cross section on its lower side and having its forward end closed as a blunt point toV press back the earth in opening a ditch, Vfins inclined downwardly rearwardly and extending laterally adjacent the forward end of the shoe to smooth down any dirt that may roll up at the top side edges of the ditch,` downwardly inclined laterally extending flared fins at the upper rear edges of the shoe to press down and trowel the surface of the earth on each side ofthe ditch,

and a mounting post adjustably connected with` the shoe adjacent to its forward end and extending to be attached to Van agricultural implement. 6. A cultivating and furrowing tool comprising, an elongated shoe made substantially V-shaped in cross section on its lower side and having itsl `forward end closed as a blunt point to press back the earth in opening a furrow, fins inclined downwardly rearwardly and extending laterally adjacent the forward end of the shoe to smooth down any dirt that may roll up at the top side i edges of the furrow, downwardly inclined laterally extending ared ns at the upper Arear edges of the shoe to press down and trowel the surface of the earth on each side of the furrow, a mounting post adjustably connected with the shoeadjacent to its forward end and extending tov be attached to an agricultural implement, a cross brace connecting the sides of the shoe adjacent to its rear end, a brace pivotally connected with the mounting post and extending downwardly and rearwardly to overlie the cross brace and prou i vided with an adjacent elongated slotted openadjustably connect the ing, and a clamp bolt associated withethe cross bar and adjustably received in the slotted opening of the brace to hold adjustments of the parts.

'7. A cultivating and furrowing tool comprising,

an elongated shoe made substantially V-shaped in cross section on its lower side and having 'its forward end closed as a blunt point to press back the earth in opening a furrow, iins inclined downwardly rearwardly and extending laterally ad- `jacent the forward end of the shoe to smooth down any dirt that may roll up at the top side edges of the furrow,- downwardly inclined laterally extending ared fins at the upper rear edges of the shoe to press down and trowel the surface of the earth on each side of the furrow, a mounting post adjustably connected with the shoe adjacent to its forward end and extending. to be attached to an agricultural implement, a crossA with ari-opening in one of its ends,'and a clamp bolt tted through the slotted opening of the bar and the opening of the second mounting post to parts together.

JOHN J. CRAWFORD. 

